


Invisible

by Zephyrfox



Category: Heroes (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-25
Updated: 2014-01-25
Packaged: 2018-01-10 00:42:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1152760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zephyrfox/pseuds/Zephyrfox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An invisible meeting in a park.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Invisible

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in 2007, after the first episodes with Claude on Heroes.

A man walked though a park in New York City. He sneered at the 20-somethings lounging around, the ones playing with their kids, the oldsters sitting on benches feeding the squirrels. Really, he didn’t know why he was here in the park, let alone in New York. Boredom? As long as he stayed under the Company’s radar…

He stopped from time to time, sometimes enjoying the feel of the sun on his face, other times he would grab someone’s wallet or go through a purse, taking their cash. Not that he really needed to steal, but why not? He was the Invisible Man, no one could see him. And he was bored.

He spotted a woman on a bench. She was sitting alone, which was unusual given her apparent age; she seemed to be about his age, mid 40s, maybe. Maybe a little younger. She should have been sitting with her husband, or playing with her kids. There was no one near her. The man drifted closer. He crouched near her bag and started going through it.

“Excuse me.” A woman’s voice. He ignored it. No one could see him; no one ever spoke to him.

“Excuse me.” More insistent, a little louder. He continued to look through the bag. Not much there, other than junk. Where was the wallet?

“EXCUSE me.” This time the phrase was accompanied by a finger poking his arm. He fell back as he looked at the woman in astonishment. She was not quite looking at him, but...

“You see me?” he said incredulously, “No one can see me!”

She chuckled. “I can’t see ANYONE. Why are you rifling through my stuff?”

He looked down in embarrassment, then back at her, finally noticing a white cane resting beside her on the bench. “You’re blind!” he realized.

“Excellent observation skills, there, Sherlock! Here’s another obvious statement: you’re British. And you haven’t told me why you’re going through my gear.”

“Ummmm…” he trailed off, looking at her. “I, ah, well… I was goingtostealyourmoney.”

“What? Could you repeat that a little slower, please?”

He sighed. “I was going to steal your money.”

“Why?” She asked, “Do you need money?”

“Well, no, not really. I just, I ah…” He rose, embarrassed. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ve made a mistake. I’ll just be going…”

“Wait! Don’t go!” She interrupted.

He turned back to her. “Why?”

“Because you’re talking with me, not AT me, like I’m an idiot as well as blind, and not shouting, because if I can’t see I can’t hear, either.”

She was lonely, he thought, as lonely as he himself was. He sat down next to her, a little uncomfortable. “You want to talk?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes. What’s your name?”

“I’m the invisible man. I’m Claude Rains.”

She laughed. “Claude? You’re really invisible?”

“Yes, really.”

“You could call yourself after David McCallum. He played the Invisible man on TV, and he’s from the UK.” She suggested.

Claude laughed. “No, I think I’ll stick with Claude. More name recognition.”

The woman smiled. “I love the sound of your voice. Do you think you could… Could you describe the park to me? I mean, I know there are birds singing, and children playing, and I can smell the flowers over there, but I’ve never seen this park. I came here after I lost my sight.”

“All right.” Claude looked around the park, then back at her. “How did you lose your sight?”

“I woke up one morning.” She paused. “The specialists say it’s hysterical blindness, although I hadn’t had any trauma, or anything.” She hesitated, then: “I think you might understand, if you really are invisible. I can see something. Kind of like… I don’t know, maybe like RADAR? I don’t really need the cane, but it looks funny for a blind woman to be walking along without it and not bumping into things. And the RADAR thing is bad enough… And no one believes me or speaks to me anymore. I might as well be invisible myself.”

Claude nodded. “That’s how you knew I was here.” He reached over and took her hand. “Today is a beautiful day. The sun is shining and the birds over there are singing. I think that one’s a Blue Jay…”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a looong time ago now, and first posted it on fanfiction . net. I’m spending more time reading on AO3, so I thought I’d move my old fic over. I hope you enjoy!


End file.
